GIVING IN TO BURNING PASSION
by Randy
Summary: AU-Buffy summers had worked hard to reach the top of the Worthington Pharmaceutical-until a corperate merger turned her ordered world upside down,To make matters worse the merging companies hired a savvy consulvant,William Editson to smooth out things.
1. PrOloGuE

Picture Him Naked  
  
Disclamier- No,I dont own 'em Rating- R  
  
Summary- Completely AU- Buffy summers had worked hard to reach the top of the Worthington Pharmaceutical- until a corperate merger turned her ordered world upside down, also the merging companies hired a savvy consulvant , William Editson, to smooth rough waters of change , Vowing to hate him sight unseen , She was finding her self attracted to him, But William was already enchanted by her beauty and fiery temper. Unfortunally, he had to convince her that he was trying not to hurt her, for he had his wounds to heal because of his parents bitter divorce, promising he'd never have children or marry. But the his attraction towards Buffy overcame his promise, Making them give in to the burning passion. Now, their was no turning back...(Based on the book ' Opposites Attract' )  
  
A/N - Yes, it's me Randy. You might remember me... * people look blankly at me*... or not, but I'm back, but since I have school I'm doing a based story so I dont have to think of a story, plot, ect. Oh, and The prologue is short, but the chapters will be longer.  
  
Story Starts Now...  
  
***  
  
Prologue- Picture Him Naked...  
  
" I'm sure I don't have to introduce William Editson, " Buffy began, telling the group he'd be conducting this meeting.  
  
As he took her place in front of the group she put the length of the entire room between them. She stood in the shadow near the exit door. He intimidated her. Yet she was responsible for all the lives in this room.  
  
She looked over the crowd. When her eyes came back to William's, he was staring directly at her. He breath caught uncontrollably.  
  
Naked.That's It, she told herself. It was hard to be intimidated by a man if you imagined him standing there naked. Buffy's mind undid his tie.  
  
Slowly she pulled it free and dropped it to the floor. Then she went for the jacket. It joined the tie on the floor.  
  
The shirt came free one button at a time until his chest was exposed.  
  
With an imaginary fingernail she outlined the clearly defined squares of his muscular chest.  
  
His skin was smooth and warm.  
  
Reaching up she let her palms travel to his shoulders and pull the offending shirt down strong, corded arms.  
  
When her hands went to the belt buckle, Buffy whipped around and lowered her head.  
  
She was breathing heavily. This is not the way its done, she scolded herself. Your supposed to imagine him naked, not undress him, not touch him.  
  
She couldn't imagine him dressed now that she had stripped him. She was glad she couldn't be seen cleary because her body was hot and excited.  
  
She had to get out of this room...  
  
***  
  
A/N- ( In Spooky voice) This was a taste, A crumb, a smidgen, very short to make you crave more...Lemme stop that I sound creepy..mwhahahahaha...Oh, thats even better..anyways, you know what reviews do, right?* points to a idiotic looking kid, Idiot Gives smart answer* Exactly, they make chapters appear faster!! Isn't that cool ! 


	2. ChApTeR OnE

Chapter One-  
  
The rhythm caught his attention ; the steady tapping of the high heels clicking againt the hard wood flooring. No one would have noticed it--There was so many other sound in the mall-- But William Editson did notice it. He could make out the tune those taps were making. He wished he had his saxophone. It might be fun to try to accompany the heels-to-wood-horn sound.  
  
As it was, He sat cramped behind a table filled with books. He couldn't wait when his shift was over. He wasn't used to being stationary, or having a crowd around him. He like to be able to move, walk, stand. He didn't fancy book signings either. Maybe that was the reason why his mind had wandered, and he heard the tapping noise.  
  
If this hadn't been his home town he would of declined the offer to sign. He peered down the long line in fronto of him. 'Well, there goes my bleedin' chances of gettin' away early ' He thought, signing the book handed to him. William smiled up at the woman and handed it to her. " Happy reading , luv," He said with a perfunctory smile. She blushed at the and smiled back shyly.  
  
He heard the sound again, the heels connecting the flooring. His concentration heightened. The steps were unhurried, relaxed but determined , as it the wearer knew exactly were she was headed. He glanced up, and the first thing he saw were her feet. She wore red, shiny shoes with heels like stilts. The supported shapeley legs clad in black stockings with seams rising up the back. All he had seen were running shoes in the past two hours. This woman, though, knew how to complete an ensemble--and what an ensemble it was.  
  
His eyes traced the seams of her sexy stockings from ankle to theigh, noticing they disappeared like rose stems under a straight black dress. He was beginning to forget why he was here.  
  
A voice called him back to the desk in front of him , and he signed the book almost automatically while his mind remained on the woman in the black dress. He hadn't seen her face yet, but the rest of her was package to his specifications. He'd say she was average height, by no means short, but neither would she stand eye-to-eye level with him. From the back her dress angled in at the waist and rounded out over her luscious hips.  
  
She stood straight, unlike many woman whose posture gave away many of there personality traits. This woman was sure of herself, confident in her ability to handle things, probably good at sizing up situations. William would bet she'd be asked directions by tourist , even in a foreign country. She had an I-know-what-I'm doing kind of aura.  
  
He cocked his head and signed another book. " Enjoy it," he said, and winked at a giggly college student who explained she was a business management major. His book was required reading, but she'd had bought it even if it weren't.  
  
William wondered what attracted him to the woman. The personality assessment he'd just made wouldn't fit his usual type, but there was something about this one that got his juices flowing before he'd even seen her.  
  
She browsed through the non- fiction section. She didn't look as if she'd just come from an office. Neither did she look as if she were on her way to the nearest trendy party. She wasnt wearing nor carrying a coat. It was around thirty degrees outside so he figured she worked in the mall.  
  
The line for William's autographed book momentarily thinned, giving him time to watch her more thoroughly. She lifted a book from the shelf. It was his. He could see his face on the jacket cover as she opened it. He wondered where she worked, and why she was intrested on a book on stress. ' Or, she could just think you're a good looking bloke' He thought. Though she looked relaxed, more controlled then other woman he'd come across. Most of them were rushing back to work or something. But she looked as if she never rushed anywhere.  
  
She was beautiful. Her blonde hair was up, some strands of hair framing her face. He lip stick was a shade of red, maybe ruby. She had clear and tanned skin. Her profile was tall and straight-almost like a goddess--and the way thedrees fit was downright sinful.  
  
William shook his head. He hadn't assessed with a woman this closely since...he couldn't remember when--it must had been long ago as his college days--yet there was a magnetism that drew him toward this one. She closed the book and he mentally telegraphed her a message: Buy it, goldilocks. So he could atleast find out her name and autograph. She turned it over, looking at the photograph, ' Yup, good looking bloke' He stated. His line was growing again. He stole glance at her between snatches of conversatin as one person replaced another, each wanting a book.  
  
Everyone in line, it seemed, wanted a moment of his time.' Well, I bloody well don't' He thought, wanting to see her face, but her back was toward him. His eyes involuntarily dropped to her seamed hose. Finally she moved towards the cashier. He followed her progress until a heavy set woman of about fifty blocked his view. ' Bloody Hell!'  
  
She handed him hid book and he warmly smiled returned her smile, trying to keep his eye on Ms.-Goldilocks. Lucky for him, there were three people in front of her at the checkout line.  
  
" For my husband," the fifty year-old said. " His name is George." William wrote the standard inscription on the title page and signed it with his flowing yet unreadable signature. " Thank you, pet, I hope he enjoys it."  
  
" Oh, he will," she replied. William smiled and she left. Another woman came to the table, which displayed several copies of his book, Managing business related stress: A users guide. She took the book she offered and asked for her name.  
  
At the counter the woman was still there. His customer left and another appeared. This time it was a man. Even though his book was non-fiction and more men read non-fiction more than woman, mostly woman purchased more.  
  
He glanced at the counter. The cashier was waiting on the woman now. William's mouth went dry. He had to force himself to remain seated. He wanted to go to her and introduce himself. He was intrested in her- a stanger.  
  
He didn't know her name, but he wanted to. He was intrested, and he hadn't been intrested seriouslyin a woman in years. He knew why. It wasn't the women. He pushed them back. Women he dated knew he wasn't the marrying type.  
  
Whenever someone got serious he immediately broke things off. He'd been serious once; even married once, But it didn't work out and he no longer wanted to be married or seriously involved. It led to complications he couldn't explain.  
  
*** A/N- Chapter two will be Buffy's point of view. R/R puh-leaz* bats eyelashes* 


	3. ChApTeR TwO

*** Chapter Two-  
  
Buffy Summers clenched her jaws, then forced herself to visably relax them. She was holding a book on stress, and she was a tense as they come. William Editson. She looked at the photo on the back of the book. Anger coursed through her, swift as lightening. Every time she thought of him and the impact he would have over her life, her blood pressure went up. Beginning on Monday, she didn't know how she would control it, or her tongue. Her grandmother had often told her, " You should think first, and speak second," but somehow she hadn't often remembered to do that until words had been already uttered.  
  
"Will that be all,"the srore clerk asked, startling her out of her thoughts. " Yes," Buffy said, stepping up to the counter. The cash register made a high-pichted, clacky sound as it caculated the cost of her purchase. " If you'd like to have your book autographed, William Editson lives her in Sunnydale. Were lucky to have him signing here tonight, He's sitting over there," she pinted somewhere over Buffy's left shoulder.  
  
Buffy noticed the tone of the clerk's voice as she spoke of William. She obviously thought there was sunlight just so it could shine on him. Buffy followed the line of the woman's finger. It was onthe tip of her tongue to say, " No, thank you. It's bad enough I have to buy the book. I certainaly don't want to talk to the author," but she managed this one time to keep the words inside.  
  
She turned her haid quickly to glace at the man at the table. He was looking in her direction. Blue piercing eyes captured hers, and something in her stomach changed. She couldn't put a name to it; lurched, rolled, dropped, she tested, but nothing in her experience fit was had just happened to her. She had to admit the photograph on the book jacket was far below the quality of the original. She pulled her eyes away quickly.  
  
Buffy accepted her bag and her change, then turned around. William Editson was signing someone's book.  
  
His head was down and she looked at the bleached, tousled hair.  
  
On impulse she started for the table.She would have him sign her book. Buffy straightened her shoulders and lifter her chin up slightly.In front of her was only one person. He moved before she got there.She growled quietly at the asshole who decide to move to reveal William's smile. His smile widened when his eyes focused on her. She didn't return it, but her stomach flipped and he feet faltered. She caught herself and checked the floor, expecting to find a hole which had caught her heel, but there was none there.Nothing had caused her to trip except the look of the eyes of the man in front of her.  
  
Her hands were suddenly cold, yet her body was warm, more warm then the heat in the store called for. Her heart pounded in her chest, and she felt heat burning up in her ears. Again she felt herself clenching her jaws. She continued to walk forward.  
  
He still smiled at her, but she refused to respond,. After all, what did she have to smile about? He had every reason. She doubted there was any stress in his life, yet in hers it was only the beginning.  
  
His eyes didn't move as she approached him. They were clear, cerulean- colored, with flecks of gold, and dancing as if he were happy about something. She could only see have of his body. She was glad she wore high heels because she needed the height to give her confidence to face the man. Hehad no idea of the impact he would have on her livlihood. He was having an impact on her person, too.  
  
She pushed it down, refusing to allow it to blossom into anything like attraction or *arousal*. "'Lo, luv,"*oh yeah, definately no arousal here* He greeted in a clear british accent. It was deep and sexy, and exactly what the photo told her it would be like. Hearing only those two words made her feel as if she'd been touched; that somehow his hand had reached out and wrapped itself around her arm.  
  
She fought the urge to turn her head and check. "The woman at the counter says you're William Editson." " Guilty," He said playfully, but Buffy still didn't smile. " Would you like me to sign you book," He nooded at the plactic bag. She really didn't want him to sign it.  
  
She only wanted to get a closer look of him. She wanted him to be old and staid and not abreast od his current traditions and changes in business management, but she had slready seen his photo and knew he was only in his twenties.  
  
She wanted to know to know how much of an adversary he was going to be. Was he a reasonale man? Could she deal with him,discuss her future and those of the people she managed? She wouldn't be able to tell that from the book and a few sentences of conversation. She hoped this book would give her some infrormation and some insight of the man behind it.  
  
" Would you like me to sign your book?," He repeated again since it took her so long to answer him. Buffy pulled the book from the bag and handed it to him. He opened it to the title page and poised his pen over the blank space, " Would you like it inscribe to you?"  
  
"No," Buffy replied. " Just a plain signature will be fine."  
  
While he wrote, Buffy gave a good look. Objectively, she had to say he was good-looking.*Okay, good-looking compared to a greek god.* She thought.  
  
Up close, his hair was tousled, giving him a bad boy look. It looked soft and smooth, and she had the uncanny desire to reach out and touch it.  
  
He had cheek bones that were very prenounced. When he looked up she saw his eyes, she thought she would melt on the spot. The were a clear blue, almost transparent, and she felt as if he could look into her mind. She quickly changed her thoughts, preventing him from reading what she was thinking.  
  
She reached for the book. He closed it and handed it to her, but as she tried to pull it clear of his hand she felt a slight tug. She met his eyes again, and he was holding on to the book. Unless she yanked it away she'd have to listen to him.  
  
" Are you sure you don't want it personalized, goldilocks?," There was that smile again *Turning in to goo...no...wait no..* Buffy thought, absent minded.  
  
"Absolutely," Buffy returned a little to quicky .  
  
He shrugged and let loose of the book. She stuffed it into the bag and turned away without the customary ' thank you'.  
  
It wasn't like her to be rude, but It wasn't also like her to be attracted to a man she had nearly met.  
  
And it definately wasn't like her for her legs to turn into jello and her knees to threaten non-support. Oh no, definately wasn't like her.  
  
But all of it was happening... 


End file.
